Free Light
by Cry Girly
Summary: "Do fairies have tails? Do fairies even exist? Just like them, it is a never-ending mystery that leads to a never-ending adventure." The never-ending adventure intersects with a thread woven by fate. Rated T for language. Pairings TBD.
1. Rendezvous

**Hello everyone! This is my first story so please enjoy! (Boring first words, I know..)**

**I do not own Fairy Tail or its characters. I only own my OC to be named later. Without further ado, here's the story!**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

**Light gives of itself freely, filling all available space. It does not seek anything in return; it asks not whether you are friend or foe. It gives of itself and is not thereby diminished. ~ Michael Strassfeld**

**September 23, X778**

The night was cold. Magnolia was unusually quiet and unaware. The glistening moon lighted the town with a few lamp posts dimly lit. The light was enough to see the road due to the colourful pavements however it was hard to recognize what you were stepping on. Footsteps and heavy breathing were the only sounds that echoed throughout the streets. It was odd for a busy town like Magnolia to hit the hay at an unconventional time.

In the streets, four people were running. A 9-year old girl was one of them. She had blonde, laid back hair reaching the middle of her back, red ribbon tied to her hair, azure blue eyes shimmering in the night, a velvet cardigan with three-fourth sleeves, a white tank top underneath, brown shorts and flats.

'Run, run, run!' It was the only thing in her mind. Her legs could've given out any minute, but her willpower pushed her on. She wasn't very familiar with the city's structure. Running aimlessly wasn't helping her out either. Her perpetrators were hot on her trail. She looked back at them while running. They were three men in black adorned with black ties, black suit, black hats, etc.

'They look like amateurs who kidnap kids to make an easy living.' She snickered at the thought. The way she thinks didn't really make her look like she's in danger.

As she turned around the corner, a knife was thrown directly at the unsuspecting girl. Thanks to her reflexes, only a minor wound was etched on her shoulder, but still enough to make her bleed a little. She winced and scowled at the jolt of pain. Realizing the men were gaining on her, she stood up and waved at them.

"Thanks for the souvenir!" She shouted, smiling.

Sarcasm intended as she started to run again. The three men scowled at that remark, trying their hardest not to shout so as to not attract locals. She held on her shoulder as she ran. It hurt like a bug bite but is still painful to the weary girl. Not paying attention to the road, the most clichéd thing happened. She tripped on a pebble and landed face first. As she sat up, she rubbed her face and grimaced. She then shot a fierce look at the pebble.

"I mean, seriously? A pebble? Why me, pebble? You could've used those powers on those bad guys, but no, you decided to trip me instead. What have I ever done to you and your kind? Do you have a grudge against me? Just say it and let's talk it out instead of tripping me. Wrong timing, pebble! I tell you I –"

Her lunatic conversation with the pebble aside, the bad guys soon caught up with her. They surrounded her with smirks painted in their faces. Anger towards the pebble and fear towards the men in black were the emotions to register in her head, her face expressing the former. One man grabbed both her wrists and lifted her with one hand. 'Wow, he can lift my whole weight with one hand. Am I really that light?' She whimsically thought before snapping back to reality. As she struggled by the sudden action, the man's grip around her wrists only tightened, earning a cry of pain from the blonde.

Another man took his knife and pointed it on her throat. A millimetre distance was made between the knife and her throat, earning a yelp from the blonde. "Don't make this harder for us than it has already been." The guy with the knife spoke. 'I can infer that kidnapping kids is an easy job for them. Unfortunately, if it wasn't for Mr. Pebble, I would've proved them wrong. Oh pebble, why do you despise me so?' She thought. Obviously, she hasn't moved on from that 'pebble' incident.

She earned a sudden punch in the stomach from the third man. "You're coming with us whether you like it or not!" He exclaimed. The girl was about to fall into the depths of unconsciousness. Her vision was blurry and she can see black spots. Suddenly, a gush of a mixture of red and orange struck those two guys. The one who was holding the girl was also pushed back, releasing the girl and making her land head-first to the ground. At first, it all seemed like a red-orange beam of light was fired towards them. At least, that's what she can register in her semi-conscious state considering she just literally hit her head.

'I'm surprised I can still think.' She slightly smiled at the thought as she lay on the ground. At that time, a little boy who looked like the same age as her with spiky salmon pink hair, a scale-designed scarf, red shirt, khaki shorts and flaming fists appeared in front of her. Light textures and a flowery background became suddenly evident in her vision. 'I bet my brain's acting whacko after all the damage I took.' She shook off the hallucination she experienced. The boy looked at her. Onyx eyes of the boy met with azure eyes of the girl. "You'll be okay! I promise I'll protect you." He grinned, earning a subtle yet noticeable smile from the girl. She then closed her eyes, trying her best to recover.

The boy then looked at the men in black who managed to recover from the sudden blow. "Hey! You don't hurt an innocent girl like that, you bastards!" Fire lit up his hands as he charged towards the guys.

"Don't get in our way, boy!" The men in black assumed a fighting stance and retaliated. The fire boy managed to knock one unconscious. The other two caught him off guard and landed a punch, earning a scowl from the boy and sending him a few feet away. They proceeded to pin down the boy and punched him in the face.

"This is what you get for messing with our plans!" They punched and kicked him. The boy couldn't do anything since he's pinned to the ground by strong arms. "You can hurt me all you want, just don't hurt her!" The boy closed his eyes, hoping the pain will end. It did end, surprisingly. He opened his eyes and saw the two men stand up, facing the now-standing blonde. Her eyes were filled with rage and anger. Was it towards the pebble or the men in black? Maybe both? No one knows.

"Southern Cross!" She stretched one arm forward. Four blue magic circles appeared in front of her, forming a cross pattern. The four then merged into one big magic circle which soon fired a concentrated light beam towards the two men. They were too shocked to move and ended up receiving the attack. The boy closed his eyes at the brightness of the light. When everything cleared up, the boy stood up and saw the men unconsciously lying on the ground.

"THAT'S SO COOL! When did you learn how to do that?" The boy rushed up towards the girl who was panting.

"I… don't know. I just kind of… let it all out… I guess…" She spoke in between breaths, avoiding eye contact with the boy looking at her with such sparkling eyes.

"Oh, by the way, I'm Natsu. Natsu Dragneel. What's your name?" He extended his hand, offering a handshake.

"Janis… Janis Miki…. It's nice to meet you." She managed to muffle out in between her breaths as she took Natsu's offer.

Oddly, no structures were damaged by the little skirmish.

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**Soooo…. I don't know if I did a good job for a starter. It is appreciated if you can R&R! Next update is unknown as I'm reaching the end of my school year… See you!~**

**Janis: I'm still mad about that pebble you know.**

**Natsu: Aww, come on. Move on already!**

**~~ Cry Girly ~~**


	2. Fairy Tail

**Hello again, everyone! What better way to celebrate April Fools than posting a new chapter!~ ****I'm happy! Anyway, disclaimer!**

**Janis: Cry Girly does not own Fairy Tail or its characters.**

**You're awfully submissive today.**

**Janis: *pouts* I don't want to see that pebble again.**

**Well, that's a good girl! Anyway, here's Chapter 2!**

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**Chapter 2**

"She was so awesome the way she took out those guys! I only managed to get one but she took out the other two in one blow! I mean –"

The guild was in its usual state. People drinking booze everywhere, some taking requests off the request board, some just having fun. Natsu, in particular, was exploding from excitement just telling what happened yesterday to a half-naked boy and a girl playing with her cards. Janis, the topic of their conversation, just stood there, not knowing what to do.

"How did I end up here anyway?" She muttered, looking at the floor.

* * *

_Flashback_

"_Say, Janis, where do you live?" Natsu spoke, his arms at the back of his head._

_They were walking to no place in particular. Janis didn't even know why and how she ended up in Magnolia._

"_Anywhere. I have nowhere to live and I'm not one to reject anyone who's willing to let me stay the night. If I have nowhere to sleep, I just do so in park benches." She shrugged._

"_So, you have nowhere to go now?"_

"_Nope."_

"_Hey, how about you join Fairy Tail?" He hopped in front of her, his sparkling eyes blinding. At least, that's what she thought while trapped in the night setting._

"_Fairy Tail?" She tilted her head to the side in confusion._

"_Yeah! It's a mage guild!"_

_At first, Janis couldn't find the right words to say. After a moment of silence, she managed to regain herself._

"_Is... a guild fun?" Natsu's eyes widened at the question. Janis tried to hide her embarrassment by looking away. At first he was stunned, then after a while, he grinned._

"_Of course! You can take on jobs to earn money, plus you can hang out with friends! We all treat each other like family, so you'll never be left out!" He beamed out, giving off his usual grins._

"_Really? I'm in!" Janis smiled, picturing the things that are waiting for her in this guild._

"_Cool! I'll tell Gramps about this tomorrow. You can stay at my house for the night." He grabbed her wrists and ran towards the direction of his house._

* * *

"Oh right, I wasn't clearly thinking straight last night when I accepted his offer. It's all thanks to that stupid pebble!" Little did she notice that she was already the main topic of the whole guild after hearing all about her from Natsu. Apparently, the pebble is still in her train of thought. She clearly could not forgive that pebble and would hate their kind for the rest of her life.

"Hey Natsu, are you sure she's THAT strong? She doesn't look like it to me."

"Oh come on Gray, if Erza can kick your butt then doubting this girl's strength is a bad idea. Oh, and put some clothes on."

Gray looked down, noticed he was down to his boxers and was shocked. The whole guild laughed while Cana resumed her card reading. Janis laughed with the guild.

"Hey, ice princess, you callin' me a liar?"

"Who are you calling ice princess, flame brain?"

"You wanna go at it, droopy eyes?"

"Bring it, squinty eyes!"

At the blink of an eye, a brawl of the two mages had already started. Janis looked at them dumbfounded as she turned to Cana for answers.

"They usually do that. It's not a big deal, really. It's like a daily need for them."

'She didn't even bat an eyelash while she said that, so it must be true.' Janis thought to herself, at a loss for words.

Just then, a scarlet-haired girl clad in armor stopped the fight by punching the two in their heads.

"That's enough, Natsu, Gray. You're scaring the newcomer. Plus, you two should get along." She said sternly, a dark aura surrounded her while she glared at the previously fighting mages. The two could only yelp out a "Yes!" before dealing with the pain of her punch. Janis sweat-dropped while giving out a nervous laugh.

"You must be Janis Miki, am I correct? I'm Erza Scarlet." She spoke and smiled at the aforementioned girl. Janis nodded and smiled back. Just then, a man almost the same size as them came out of his office and looked at everyone. Silence filled the room. Janis looked at the man with shock. 'By the looks of it, he must be the master since he has the presence to command everyone to be quiet. Seriously though, how can the master be so small? The only thing that makes him look like a master is his staff.' She mused at the thought.

"Gramps, there you are! I was just telling everyone about Janis! She can join Fairy Tail, right?" Natsu blurted out like an excited kid.

"Of course, my child. She looks like a promising young one to me. Tell me girl, do you want to join Fairy Tail?"

Everyone was silent. All of their eyes are on her, expecting for an answer. Janis could feel this tension in the air. 'I feel a million stabs just from their stares. I should answer before I turn into shish kebob just from their eyes.' She sighed and began to open her mouth.

"Yes, please." She said looking somewhere that didn't have any people looking at her.

She was then proclaimed by Makarov as a member of the guild. Everyone was surprised at how easy she was accepted to the guild. She got stamped by the insignia on the back of her left hand. As the stamp was removed, it revealed her newly acquired Fairy Tail mark. It was azure blue in colour, just like her eyes. She jumped up in joy and showed it to everyone, raising her hand so that the mark faced them. Uproar suddenly filled the hall with cheers and squeals, with words "Welcome to Fairy Tail!" and "Cheers for the new girl!" among them.

As everything cleared up, Janis went back to Makarov. "May I pose a question, master?"

Makarov's attention turned towards the girl. "What is it my child?"

"Why choose the name Fairy Tail?" Her eyes showed curiosity. Makarov nodded and hummed to himself, closing his eyes.

"Do fairies have tails? Do fairies even exist? Just like them, it is a never-ending mystery that leads to a never-ending adventure."

Almost all members of the guild were smiling and grinning at Makarov's reply. It's as if they've already heard this a million times, which they did. Janis blinked a few times, trying to process what he just said. She then put her hand in her chin, pondering for a moment. The master noticed this and opened one eye. After a few seconds, Janis finally opened her eyes, finally reaching to her conclusion.

"Hailey doesn't have a tail." She bluntly stated.

He looked rather shocked at the sudden reply of the blonde. Makarov thought this to be important for her to say it simply like that. "Hailey? Might I ask who's that, my child?"

"She's my mother and she's a light fairy."

Everybody stopped and turned to look towards her with shocked expressions. Even Makarov had his jaw drop. Silence filled the room for a second. Janis looked around. All eyes were turned to her as if she said something like "I'm pregnant" or something like that.

"A FAIRY!?" Everyone in the guild shouted in unison with jaws dropped, eyes widened at the statement and disbelief in their voices.

'Maybe I shouldn't have said that. They'll probably interrogate me until they suck out all of my knowledge about fairies and hunt them down and soon they'll become an extinct species all because of me. Stupid, stupid, stupid!' Inside her head, she smacked her head and banged it against an imaginary wall.

"That's so cool! I have Igneel as my parent. He's a dragon!" Natsu switched to his 'excited kid' mode again.

'This kid is out of this world. He didn't even flinch upon hearing about a fairy. Well, I guess he isn't interested in those kind of things and he is young and innocent. Ah, the wonders of having an innocent mind.' Before she totally boarded the train headed for 'thoughts-that-are-very-amusing-and-will-leave-her-daydreaming-like-an-idiot' station, she tried to process what the fire mage said. "Woah, that's so cool! I wonder how it's like to have a dragon for a parent." Janis pondered then giggled.

"So, what kind of magic do you use anyway? Natsu has been bragging about it since he got here." Gray, oddly clothed, managed to slip in the conversation.

"Hailey said I can use Light Fairy Slaying Magic, although I haven't been able to since she left me…" Her voice sounded cold, as if holding back her tears.

Gray, who noticed the subtle change, kept quiet. 'Darn, I shouldn't have asked that.' He mentally cursed himself.

"Did she disappear on July 7, X777?" Natsu asked. His face, changed from beamy to serious, was now few centimeters away from hers.

A slight blush of embarrassment formed on her cheeks as she looked away. She tried to back a few steps, unable to think of anything to say and instinctively looked away, hiding her 'on-the-verge-of-turning-beet-red' face. She pondered, and then thought of something. "Yes. I guess Igneel disappeared on that day too, huh?"

"Yeah! How did you know?" Confusion was apparent in his face. He did not expect her to know that without him actually telling her about it.

"I don't know. Wild guess." She clearly lied. 'It was more of a hypothesis after hearing that you have a dragon as a parent. I simply can't tell him that. It might lower his hopes on finding Igneel, if he is searching for him.'

Their conversation went on. Some people were already talking about how she saw a fairy. What's even greater is that said fairy is her mother.

"This girl… is really interesting." Gray chuckled, clearly amused of the girl.

* * *

**There it is, folks! The second chapter! This is mostly a background chapter for Janis. The third chapter is an extension of her background so you can skip that if you want.**

**Janis: You don't seem to be interested in writing the real plot.**

**I am! I'm just... unmotivated, that's all...**

**Janis: That's another word for lazy, which proves my point! :P**

**Hmph! I'll make sure Mr. Pebble gets revenge at you.**

**Janis: Anything but that! :'(**

***clears throat* Anyway, sorry for the slow development of the plot. I'm a really slow writer when it comes to the plot. I'll probably be slow in the romantic development too so please bear with me. Don't forget to R&R!**

**~~ Cry Girly ~~**


	3. War of Mind

**Shoutout to the first follower of this story, SummerBum95! You rock! xD**

**I'm back and updating! I'm stuck in a rut with this chapter. This came in a whim so it might not be good. Please enjoy! Janis, disclaimer!**

**Natsu: Cry Girly does not own Fairy Tail, its plot or its characters.**

**Cry Girly: Hey, where's Janis?**

**Natsu: She's running.**

**Cry Girly: ...? Anyway, let's enjoy Chapter 3!**

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**Chapter 3**

She ran as fast as she could in the halls of the mansion. Currently, Janis is in the mansion of the Weiss family. The family has a valuable heirloom that could sell for about a trillion jewels in the market, which makes the mansion an easy target for robbers. She, along with a certain fire mage, took on a job that requests for protection of the heirloom for one day. Intelligence of the family shows that a lone bandit would infiltrate the household and attempt to steal the antique.

The halls of the mansion were adorned with blue Victorian wallpaper with a brown marble floor. In each corner, a table with a flower vase on it with a rose or two inside would stand. The ceilings were decorated with crystal chandeliers with a blue hue to its light. The doors were white with yellow flowery patterns painted on it.

'It really is tiring, running around like this. I wish I could just leisurely walk while taking the beauty of the hall.' She sighed as she continued running. She currently held the Thunder Eye, a yellow gem with thunder patterns engraved on it, in her arms. The thief, who was supposed to steal said gem, was currently in pursuit of the blonde.

Trying to shrug her boredom, she finally opened a door and entered the room. Much to her chagrin, it was a dead end. It was a storeroom that houses loads of crates on the left side of the room. She ran towards the wall and faced the door, hearing the death threats of the burglar. 'I wish that mouth had something more pleasant to say.' The blonde wore a bored look on her face as she saw the bandit enter the room, fear quickly taking over her face. He locked the door behind him and snickered.

"There's no escape now, child! Hand over the Thunder Eye!" He said, inching closer towards Janis, who was backing up against the wall.

"Do you really think I'd give this to you? I have my job of protecting it and I'd do it even if I have to sacrifice my life!" She blurted, clearly laughing at the back of her mind. 'I wonder how much longer I can put up with this act?'

"Heh, you asked for it!" The thief raised his hand, motioning himself to stab the girl. Being the helpless girl she currently is, she held up her hands in a defense stance. As the shadow of her arms covered her eyes, a smirk made its way to Janis' face.

"You _fell_ for it."

The perpetrator was suddenly thrown to the other side of the room by a punch. It was delivered by a certain pinkette who came out of his hiding place. The girl just stood there chuckling evilly, putting her hands back to her sides. The man struggled to stand up, not able to fully recover from the blow he took. Fire lit up on Natsu's fist as he charged toward the man. Janis began to walk out, yawning.

"It went exactly as planned. Do what you want with him, Natsu. Call me when you're done, 'kay?" She brushed off her right hand as she walked outside the room. The boy may have not heard her as he bullied the bandit more.

* * *

"I can't believe you made me do all the fighting work." Natsu pouted.

"Well, considering you love fighting, I figured you'd love to fight the bandit alone." Janis chuckled.

They succeeded in their job and received 40 thousand jewels for their job, splitting it into half for their share. They were currently in the streets of Magnolia and on their way back to Fairy Tail.

"Hey, I haven't seen you use your magic ever since the day I met you. I want to see more of your Light Fairy Slaying Magic!" Little Natsu's face got close to the blonde's as his eyes lit up like he's going to the amusement park after being grounded for 1 week. Her eyes widened when she saw this. A small shade of pink appeared on her cheeks, making her instinctively look at the other direction. However, another emotion suddenly took over her in less than a second.

"I…" She trailed off, at a loss for words. Her tone was suddenly filled with… 'Grief?' The boy's sparkle disappeared as he thought about this, his smile toning down slightly. He waited for the girl to sort out her thoughts before she continued.

"I-it's not l-like I d-didn't want to use it. I just can't." She sounded fidgety, like a little girl who's about to cry. "I didn't e-even know h-how I managed t-to use magic on that d-day either." Janis held back her tears as she stuttered. The boy noticed this and decided to stay quiet. After a few seconds of silence, she continued, somehow composing herself.

"Since Hailey left me, my mind has been severely traumatized, rendering my magic unable to be used. At some point, I managed to recover from my trauma, but not from my magic paralysis. Even before all that, it's true that Hailey taught me how to use the Light Fairy Slaying Magic and I learned the spells, but I only mastered the basic support spells. I can't cast any offensive or defensive spells as it would severely damage me given my magical state. I currently hold little magic, enough to conjure light that would last for 5 minutes. I'm that weak in magic."

She looked down at the floor, her bangs shading her eyes while sobbing uncontrollably. Natsu didn't know what to do. Should he apologize for bringing up and being excited about such a topic? Should he comfort her? Apparently, he was mentally panicking. The only thing he managed to do was put his hand and rub it on the blonde's shivering back.

Janis flinched at the contact. She looked at the little dragon that was looking at the opposite direction. That small hue of pink now dusted both their faces. As if by instinct, she turned to the opposite direction. They were now both facing against each other, the boy not removing his hand from the girl's back. Silence then took over the pair. It wasn't awkward, yet it wasn't comfortable either. It was just the normal silence Janis needed to compose herself. She stopped sobbing, but the silence went on.

* * *

As they finally arrived in Fairy Tail, the atmosphere was like usual: it stank of booze.

"I'm going to tell Master we finished the job. You can sit at the bar if you like." The little dragon's tone was monotonous. Apparently, the earlier incident was still fresh in his memories. Natsu gestured towards the said place, snapping the fairy out of her daze. Janis nodded and made her way towards the bar. Natsu then proceeded to find Makarov in the midst of chaos that _magically _brewed up.

'Seriously though, how do these people survive this every day? It gives me a headache worrying about them.' She thought as she propped her elbows at the counter and held her head with one hand. She wore a frown as she tried to remember what happened earlier.

"_I'm that weak in magic."_

Her own words echoed in her head like a sweet yet sickening symphony. 'He is the first person who knows about my secret. I really thought he'd ditch me on the spot just because I wasn't strong, but instead he tried to comfort me. What does that even mean?'

"Ah, Janis! How did your first job with Natsu go?"

A flying, blue cat came up to her, interrupting her train of thoughts. At first, she just stared blankly at the cat with "It went well" as a reply and went back to her world of deep thoughts. Then, realization hit her like lightning as her eyes widened in shock and shot it right back at the cat.

"A BLUE CAT?!" Apparently, the fact that it flew and talked never bothered her.

"Aye!" He landed on the counter and raised his hand/paw. "My name is Happy and I'm Natsu's partner! Nice to mee'cha!" He said in his cute voice. Janis inwardly giggled.

"Awww! Nice to meet you too! Well, you are a cute one! You can fly too! That's so nice!" Janis smiled.

"Hey Janis! Come here!" Natsu managed to get out of the fight, locate Makarov and talk with him. The fire mage gestured the girl to come outside.

"Be right there!" Janis waved as she ducked just in the nick of time. 'A near miss. That table would've hit me square in the face.' Her sweat dropped, accompanied by nervous laughing. The fairy proceeded to make her way towards Natsu without getting killed. The blue cat went together with her. They got to him unscathed and gave a questioning look to the boy.

"I see you've met my partner Happy here!" A cheeky grin was plastered on the fire mage's face. "Aye!" Happy flew up to Natsu's head and rested on the pink nest.

"By the way, why'd you tell me to come here?" Unable to bear her curiosity, the blonde spoke out.

"Gramps said he'd train you so that you'd get used to your magic! Isn't that great? You'd get to train with a powerful wizard like Gramps!" He beamed out happily, his familiar grin showing up.

"I specialize in light magic myself and may just be able to help you out, child." Makarov stated firmly. She only managed to nod faintly.

"Good then! We'll start tomorrow! Get some rest first, my child. You've done a spectacular job earlier and you need rest." Makarov stated as he began to walk back into the chaos, trying to stop it. Janis looked at the old man before looking back at Natsu. He was still smiling like an idiot for no reason at all.

"Hey Natsu…" She muttered. She was completely unaware that the said teen was already expecting her to ask something. His attention quickly snapped to the blonde after barely hearing her. Janis wore a frown, worrying the pinkette.

"Is there something wrong?"

"I just want… to ask. Why did you even save me that night?"

She looked into the obsidian eyes of the boy, hoping she'd find the answer. Her azure eyes locked on with Natsu's. The blonde was hoping for an answer, an answer that would ease her aching heart.

"_I'm that weak in magic."_

Her words ran through her head again. This time, it left a big pang in her heart which was inexplicably painful for Janis. She closed her eyes, hoping to ease the pain. It was ineffective, however. She opened her eyes to look back at the boy again.

"It's because I can't ignore someone who's in trouble."

'Figures.' The blonde averted her gaze and mentally facepalmed herself for asking a stupid question. 'Anyone with some common sense would've been able to predict that answer.' The fairy faintly sighed. Clearly, this was not the answer her inner self was looking for. Before she could even fully process his answer, she managed to find another question.

"Why… are you doing all this? All of this for a stranger you just saved from the streets?" Her voice cracked. Her gaze was still focused on a random direction. Apparently, any direction right now that didn't include a pink bush would be great for her eyes at the moment. She was about to cry again. That's when she felt two hands rest upon her shoulders.

"Because you're family now!"

"Aye!"

'Family…' Was the only word she was able to pick up. Her thoughts trailed off as tears began to form in her eyes. It's as if all the sadness she was keeping inside was trying to get out of her in a desperate attempt. Natsu, using his thumb, wiped them off and gave her a reassuring smile.

"Didn't I tell you the first time I met you? I'll protect you, no matter what! So don't cry anymore, okay?"

The blonde's heart skipped a beat. Never had she heard those words ever since her "mother" disappeared. She felt comfortable as she rested her head against the boy's chest, nodding slightly. She'd never have to pretend to be strong again. She can rely on someone else again. He smiled at the contact as Janis continued to cry, not because of sadness, but because of happiness, the happiness of belonging to a family, the happiness of being accepted. Natsu, in return, wrapped his arms around the sobbing girl.

"He liiiiiiiiikes her!" Happy teased, rolling his tongue to extend the "i" part. He then flew away from Natsu's head, giggling uncontrollably.

"Oh shut up, you darn cat!" The little dragon had let go of Janis in response. Irritation was apparent in Natsu's voice as he tried to chase the flying cat. The little dragon's cheeks were red in embarrassment. Janis smiled at the sight and laughed. She looked up and saw the clear, serene sky.

"Mother, I hope you can see this right now. This is a new start for me: my new family."

* * *

**And that concludes the chapter. I hope you enjoyed it!**

**Natsu: Just as much as I enjoyed it!**

**CG: I see what you did when you said she was running. -_-**

**Natsu: What? It's the truth during that time.**

**CG: And I see you're trying to earn points from Janis. *evil smirk***

**Natsu: *blushes* Shut up!**

**CG: The next chapter is a time-skip chapter (probably a summary of what happened from this point up to the beginning of the actual plot) so it's probably boring but I do recommend reading it. You'll get a treat there, and more background information about our heroine! Until the next update! Please R&R!**

**~~ Cry Girly ~~**


	4. Tad Time

**Shoutout to Bronzeapollo708 for this story's first review! Hope you continue to support the story and give your reviews! I'm more than welcome to accept any kind of criticism.**

**New chapter! This is a boring time skip chapter with interesting information and a little teaser at the end. :3 Anyways, anyone who wants to do the disclaimer?**

**...**

**Ugh, fine. I don't own Fairy Tail or its characters. I own Janis and this story though. *wink***

* * *

**Chapter 4**

As years came by, Janis learned how to control her own magic, the Light Fairy Slaying Magic. She managed to master the spells her mother, the light fairy Hailey, taught her as a child. This, of course, was with the help of the master of Fairy Tail himself, Makarov Dreyar. He trained Janis relentlessly and soon the girl managed to pick up her spells at an extremely fast pace. She even learned two of the three grand spells of Fairy Tail: namely Fairy Sphere and Fairy Glitter however her variation is slightly weaker but is still as effective **(1)**.

'Honestly though, I thought her training would last at least 7 years, but it only took her 2 years to improve her magic capabilities and powers. **(2)**'

This was his original thought when he saw Janis' exemplary performance at the S-Class Advancement Exam on the year X780. She became an S-Class mage right after Erza, and therefore earning her the right to perform S-Class quests.

Because of her closeness to Makarov, she had developed an unexpected friendship with a certain lightning dragon slayer by the name of Laxus Dreyar. They're not the type who'd talk to each other everyday with all the mushy-mushy stuff, but they're comfortable around the presence of the other. They're kind of like Natsu and Gray, without the occasional brawls, who knows the other better than the others. They're too mature for that. Whenever the two would spar, the result would always be unpredictable and is mostly dependent on who's more serious about the fight.

Her reputation increased because of her exemplary performances in her quests. The fairy even managed to complete a 10-year quest within one week **(3)**! This earned her the title "Fairy Princess" from the other guilds. The actual reason people, particularly the Magic Council, accepted this alias for her was because she was the least destructive of all the guild's mages, barely hurting any infrastructure in her wake.

She likes to hides her reputation, so common people do not know what she looks like. Even the common members of the other guilds do not know. Only those who have seen her magic know that she's the "Fairy Princess", the Fairy Tail guild to be exact. The only known information about the "Fairy Princess" that circulates in Fiore is that:

a.) She's in Fairy Tail.

b.) She uses magic that involves the light.

c.) She's very beautiful.

This, of course, makes the blonde happy, seeing as she won't be swarmed by random strangers asking to go out with her. It's not as if this was already happening, but it helps lessen the chances of it happening.

* * *

**Around July X784**

Janis returned to Fairy Tail after an S-Class quest. She was greeted with the usual chaos that defined Fairy Tail. She met many new members, including the Celestial Spirit Mage, Lucy. They quickly became friends and life resumed.

She left around the start of the Galuna Island arc, going to another 10-year quest. Janis took longer than expected for this quest, but accomplishing it nonetheless. She returned around the end of the Tenroujima arc, healing everyone who was injured.

**(A/N: As a fairy, I thought it'd be cool to have healing magic and stuff like that!)**

When Acnologia arrived, she barely had any energy left so she wasn't able to participate in the guild's attack. However, she was able to muster up enough magic to help protect the island from Acnologia's roar. **(4)**

* * *

**7 years later**

When the remaining members of Fairy Tail found the island and the members in it, Janis was nowhere to be seen. They checked every nook and cranny but she can't be found, even Mavis herself didn't know where she is. They soon found her resting beside Mavis' grave, sleeping soundly.

* * *

Everything went back to normal, except for the 7-year gap. The Fairy Princess wasn't around when the Zentopia affair started as she was busy with another 10-year quest **(5)**. She may not be participating in the battle, but when the Zero Nightmare started, she helped in protecting the citizens from being affected by using her magic.

The fairy also wasn't participating in the Grand Magic Games or the Eclipse Project. She just watched from afar, completely amazed at the efforts of her teammates.

* * *

**March 29, X792**

The fairy paced around Magnolia, hoping to find the guild she misses the most. It's been a year since she returned to rest at this guild, or at least to enjoy the brawls that would magically brew up out of nowhere. She walked faster, her heart beating faster with excitement at the thought of everything.

Now, she was standing the door of her guild. She was so eager to open it, but she tried to enjoy this moment, her moment of return. Mustering up all her courage, she pushed the door open.

"I'm home!"

* * *

**Author's Corner:**

**Noticed all those numbers scattered in this chapter? Here's some background information about those statements (all information given is according to my story):**

* * *

**(1) Her variation for Fairy Sphere and Fairy Glitter is slightly weaker.**

**This is true, particularly her Fairy Sphere. It's pretty much the same like Mavis', but it can be destroyed by powerful forces like Acnologia's roar or even the original Fairy Glitter.**

**Janis' Fairy Glitter has the same mechanics like Cana's, however, unlike Cana, Janis does not have the emblem, therefore making her version weaker.**

* * *

**(2) It only took her 2 years to improve her magic despite the predicted 7 years by Makarov.**

**Of course, who wouldn't improve so fast if their teacher is a member of the Ten Great Wizard Saints? Also, specializing in the same element helped her training.**

* * *

**(3) She completed one 10-year quest within a week.**

**This was an accident. Her job was to catch a renowned shape-shifting bounty hunter. This job was difficult since no one had any information about the guy. While Janis was in the client's town, a guy was hitting on her. She just brushed him aside, yet the guy was persistent. Every day he would visit Janis in her inn and ask her out, only to be turned down. One time, he actually tried to kiss the blonde, only to earn a punch thanks to her reflexes. This act undid his magic, revealing his true identity: the shape-shifting bounty hunter she was looking for. She quickly caught him, arrested him, handed him to the Magic Council, and got her reward. That's how she finished the job.**

* * *

**(4) Janis helped in protecting the island from Acnologia's roar.**

**When everyone was found to be safe by the current members, Mavis explained to them the theory she devised. Apparently, Janis was actually the one who protected the island from the black dragon's roar. Using the magic of her guild mates combined with her own powers, she casted Fairy Sphere to protect the whole island, which is normally more than what her body could take, however with the help of her teammates she made it possible. Mavis' Fairy Sphere only preserved the island while Janis' Fairy Sphere protected the island from being destroyed.**

* * *

**(5) She was busy with another 10-year quest during the Zentopia affair.**

**She has quite a fetish for 10-year quests, has she?**

* * *

**Well, that's all the information I can share with you! See you in my next "Author's Corner"!**

**I'm sorry if this really looks rushed, probably because it is. I promise I'll do better in the next chapter! Please R&R!**

**Sneak Peek of the next chapter:**

_The white dragon was on top of the girl, using his arms for support. He was blushing furiously as he continued to look at those azure eyes. In his lower regions, an unexpected visitor was making himself known, making a bulge against the only piece of fabric he was wearing._

_The fairy didn't notice the protruding guest below. She was fixated on the sapphire eyes looking at her. Blood was surging in her head, making her face beet red. She didn't know what to do, or rather she can't do anything in this situation. Surprisingly, her instincts to look away weren't showing._

_The boy proceeded to inch closer, completely not listening to his rational mind. He leaned more, hoping to make contact._

_The girl noticed the action. She tried resisting, but this position didn't let her._

_Three inches left…_

_She stared at the teen that was advancing toward her. Longingness and passion was apparent in his expression as his dragon instincts took over him. He can't wait any longer. He wanted her now!_

_Two inches left…_

'_Well, letting my feelings take over once in a while wouldn't hurt.' She thought, closing her eyes._

_One inch left…_

_And it happened. They made contact._

**And that concludes this chapter! See you next update!~**

**Janis: Hey! Don't leave it at that! I'm curious to know what happens next!**

**CG: Wait until the next chapter. :P**

**~~ Cry Girly ~~**


	5. Falling, Literally

**You guys waited long enough! Here's the chapter you've been waiting for! I know I didn't really do much of a good job on the previous one but this one's a not-so-crappy chapter, I'm sure of it! You don't know how much time I wasted staring into space because of this. After jumping over the pole vault of writer's block, I finally made this, though it took longer than expected.**

**Janis: That sneak peek is really disturbing...**

**CG: Deal with it. You'll have more things to worry about once this chapter's underway. Disclaimer!**

**Janis: Cry Girly does not own Fairy Tail or its characters.**

**CG: Good, behave and Mr. Pebble won't get you. *evil smirk***

**Janis: *pouts***

* * *

**Chapter 5**

"I'm home!"

Janis flung the doors open, reflexes acting up as she ducked instantly. Apparently, the guild was in one of its frenzies again as she was almost hit by a barrel of alcohol. On one side, Natsu, Gray, Elfman, Gajeel, even Erza were brawling for who knows when with a love-struck Juvia cheering for her "Gray-sama". On another corner, Wakaba, Macao and Cana were busy… drinking. On the bar, Lucy let her head rest on counter while Levy chatted with her, Jet and Droy clearly behind the bookworm. Mirajane, Lisanna and Kinana served drinks. The Raijin Tribe was about to join the fight because a chair flew and hit Laxus but was stopped by the thunder dragon slayer, relaxing at his chair unfazed.

The Exceeds were eating along with Wendy, Romeo, Alzack, Bisca and Asuka. Nab was still focused on the request board, looking at the jobs. Reedus was painting in a corner where the brawl or its random projectiles won't reach him. Max, Warren and Vijeeter tried their best not to get involved in the fight, dodging and mildly scolding them. This was exactly her guild, the guild she missed going back home to. This was her family.

'Some things never change.' The fairy inwardly sighed.

"Zephyr!"

A flash of light made the weapon appear in her hands. She had summoned a silver sword that had angel wings decorating the silver hilt. Between the wings, there was a small blue sapphire embedded. The blade was like any other sword, except for the blue curly patterns on the bottom of the blade. The pattern reached at least one-fourth of the length of the sword. Apparently, she got this sword as a reward in her "Bounty Hunter 10-year quest" and it suited her magic.

"Moon Flurry!" A white magic circle appeared as she swung her sword. Slash-like projectiles shot out of it and flew to random directions. Fortunately, no person, cat, object or facility was damaged by this act, but it was enough to separate the brawling mages and to catch the attention of everyone from the guild. All eyes were on the figure at the door, rather shocked at the action. By the looks on their faces, they immediately recognized that girl.

Compared to when she was a kid, Janis now wore a white, ruffled blouse with a blue ribbon below her neck. A blue sapphire with a gold border was also engraved on the said ribbon. She wore a white, ruffled skirt that extends from her waist down to a 1-inch distance above her knee. Over her blouse was a white cardigan with ¾ sleeves, having the same blue curly patterns from her sword at the end of her sleeves. Her white boots with yellow outlines completed her wardrobe. She still had her laid-back, blonde hair that reached the middle of her back with a red ribbon tied to it. Her azure blue eyes were still as innocent as ever.

"Man, you guys are a handful, you know?" The blonde said as she put her hands in her waist, making her sword disappear out of thin air.

"JANIS!" Everybody practically jumped as they shouted with unison, with the exception of Gajeel and Laxus who only muttered her name, the former grunted while the latter snickered.

Happy flew to the blonde and hugged her. He was followed by Natsu who ran up to her and greeted her.

"Janis, I really missed you. And why is your left hand bandaged?" The Exceed said as he touched the bandages with his hand.

"Hey, it's only been one year Happy." She patted the crying cat's head. "Oh, and that's primarily because on my way here, I petted a cat and it bit my hand. I bandaged it up since I didn't want to waste my powers on healing the minor injury. It's nothing to worry about." She smiled as she noticed Natsu who was… 'Shaking?' It's true. The fire mage was shaking while looking at the ground. Sniffs can be heard from his nose as he clenched his fists.

"Janis… I real—"

"Ahh, my child, you have returned! How did your job go?"

Fairy Tail's third and sixth master came out of nowhere, now standing at the counter Lucy was previously resting on. The fairy's eyes sparkled after seeing her master but looked back at Natsu who wore a worried look.

"I'm sorry Natsu. I promise we'll talk later after this." She raised her hand in front of the teen, probably making a promise as she made her way outside. She came back after a short while carrying a brown briefcase with a jolly look on her face. She proceeded towards the master to report.

"It went great! I accomplished my job ahead of time. The villagers send their regards to Fairy Tail. This is a token of gratitude in addition to my reward. I couldn't say no as they insisted I take it to my master as a "thank you gift" so I accepted and brought it here as promised."

She rested the case in front of the old man and opened it. Makarov's serious eyes widened and his expression was quickly replaced by amusement and sparkles as the case revealed 3 million jewels. Everyone's jaw dropped at the amount it contained, except for Natsu who stared longingly for the blonde.

* * *

Everything pretty much went back to normal after Janis returned. Makarov was in his office celebrating. Lucy, Levy, Gray, Wendy, Carla, Lily, Mirajane and Kinana listened to Janis' stories of her job whilst they shared their own stories about the guild when she was temporarily absent.

"Hey Natsu, aren't you going to join them?" Happy asked the pinkette who was spacing out, looking at a wall.

"Nah, she said she'd talk to me after this. I'll let them have their sweet time with her. Then, she's all mine after that." Natsu produced an excited grin as his right fist lit up with flames.

"The way you worded it sounds a bit… how do I put it…" The blue Exceed scratched his head. Natsu, who could only wait for Happy's reply, stared at him with a big question mark.

"Affectionately possessive?"

The teen blinked many times, trying to process what his partner just said. 'Affectionately possessive? That means I like her all to myself in a loving manner? I don't understand!' His mind came to a stop when he heard Happy giggling uncontrollably as he covered his mouth.

"You liiiiiiiiiiike her." The "i" being awfully extended, Natsu blushed furiously at this comment. "Oh, it seems that Janis had already left." Before the fire mage could even comment, he noticed that Happy was right. He looked around to find no Janis in sight.

"Man, I guess I'll just have to wait until tomorrow." Natsu muttered as he buried his face on the table.

* * *

"What a beautiful day for a walk!"

The Fairy Princess was currently walking on a riverside, just like Lucy's path home. A cool and gentle breeze swept through her skin. Her footsteps were like music to her ears as she tried to relax herself. She made sure to grasp the serene atmosphere around her and employ it to herself. It was pretty much a smooth walk, until it happened.

Something made its presence. The horrendous creature she dreaded the most stood before her. It gave off its intimidating aura that left her frozen as her eyes befell the horrifying creature. Its mere presence brought a chill to her spine then to every nerve in her whole body system, rendering her unable to move. Her mind was telling her to run away from that blood-curdling creature. Terrifying eyes met with hers, making her cower in fear and gulp. The beast let out a creepy sound that made her cry in fear. Her worst nightmare…

There stood a cute little Shih Tzu with brown spots wagging its tail, barking while its tongue stuck out.

Janis turned around and was _supposed_ to run as fast as she could, if she didn't bump into someone. Both collapsing to the ground, she held and rubbed her head in pain.

"Owww… Hey, are you okay?"

There stood a blonde male, extending his hand to the girl who was still recovering from the impact. He wore a blue vest with golden outer edges and inner edges covered trimmings of gray fur over a short, cream top, leaving his lean abdominals exposed. His arm was covered by dark blue gloves extending to his mid-bicep. He wore cream colored pants that were held up by suspenders. His dark blue footwear was very peculiar as it reached up to his thigh and the upper edge of his waist. Said footwear has very distinctive gold soles to complete his look.

The blonde girl was pretty much preoccupied by the fact that the 'most-horrendous-creature-that's-going-to-eat-her-alive-with-her-innards-and-bones' was still present. Instinctively and on impulse, she quickly hid behind the male, shivering while clutching his vest as tightly as she can with her eyes closed, almost to the point of crying. The blonde male stood there, shocked by the actions of the other.

The 'presence-not-to-be-reckoned-with' barked, earning a yelp from the girl as she started to cry out of fear. The wetness of her tears was felt by the male, thinking that he should do something. He then walked forward, leaving a shaking and terrified Janis, bent down and petted the canine. This scene left a stunned girl. The 'source-of-all-malice' seemed to be satisfied and ran away, getting out of their line of vision. The blonde male came back to the girl.

"Are you okay now?" He, again, extended his hand, only to see the girl hiding behind a nearby lamp post. He sighed. 'Her fear of dogs even goes to _that_ extent.' He proceeded to the river, dipped his hands in it and washed it, hoping to please the cowering girl.

"There. Now are you okay?" For the third time, he extended his "washed" hands to the girl. At first, Janis hesitated to grab it, but made up her mind as she slowly grasped the other's gesture. The male teen produced a grin that was all too familiar to the Fairy Princess, causing a dust of pink to appear on her cheeks and, of course, instinctively looked away.

*bark*

At that instant, Janis hid behind a near alleyway at the speed of light, completely scared and shaking like a kid. It was preceded by the hysterical laughter of the other teen. He was holding his stomach to support himself for laughing. Apparently, _he_ was the source of the dreaded noise.

"Man, I hate you already!" She managed to shout, still hiding in the alleyway.

"Hey, is that what you say to someone who just saved you from that dog? But still, your reaction really was funny!" He then proceeded to laugh uncontrollably again. The blonde girl could only pout.

"Hey, tell you what? I'll treat you to something as an apology." The blonde male wiped his tears from laughing as he approached the alley. Janis stuck her head out and nodded faintly, suspicious of the man's actions. Then, the 'lightning of reality' struck her as she caught a glimpse on a mark that rested on his left shoulder.

'Isn't that Sabertooth's mark? So he belongs to that guild. He seems familiar but I can't put my finger on it' She thought as they started walking to their destination.

* * *

"Here you go."

A chocolate parfait was presented in front of Janis while a vanilla latté was presented to the blonde male. They were currently seated near the glass panel window of Marigold Café. The restaurant has a home-y ambiance with its tone brown colour palette. Pictures in wooden frames hung on the walls beside lamps that gave a golden brown shine. The wallpaper was designed like a wooden wall while the tiles have white flower patterns on the brown marble. The chairs were comfortable. The table shone as light reached it. The waitresses were in their brown maid uniforms, wearing a smile on their faces.

The waitress giggled when the boy winked at her. Janis sighed at the scene. 'Well, what normal girl wouldn't after experiencing _that_?' Her mind flashed to the event before.

_Flashback_

_As they were seated, the waitress came to them and gave them the menus. Janis' eyes immediately fell on the chocolate parfait drawn on the second page. The other blonde, on the other hand, couldn't choose and looked up at the waitress._

"_What do you recommend?" The waitress was blushing, but not enough for the two of them to notice. She quickly pointed on something on the menu, her breasts intentionally bumping the teen's arm._

"_We recommend the vanilla latté! It's currently our best seller, master! You can also order it to go." She returned to standing._

"_Okay, then. Can I order you, so I can take you out?"_

_This statement caught the drooling blonde's attention. 'Really though, I thought for a second that this guy wanted to kill that maid. Me and my sadistic mind.' She hummed to herself. 'But still, his flirting skills are in a league of their own.' The maid could only giggle as the man took her recommendation and ordered the vanilla latté._

"_And for you, miss?" Her overly-cute face was replaced by a mild disgusted and irritated look. It didn't slip Janis' eye though. She ignored it but scowled at the back of her mind._

"_Chocolate parfait please!" The blonde smiled brightly, but running in her mind right now is the corpse of this maid while she bathes in her own blood. 'I'd like to stab you three times please!' Her sadistic mind chirped. However, her smile now was currently masking that intent._

_End of Flashback_

Reality struck her again as she eyed her parfait. Just by looking at it made her eyes twinkle. Its chocolate-y texture, the different brown hues that filled the glass, the wafer stick sitting on top of it, it was so delectable.

"Oh, I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Sting Eucliffe. It's nice to meet you!" He smiled.

The 'lightning of reality' struck her again. 'Sting Eucliffe!? The current guild master of Sabertooth? You've got to be kidding me! I can't believe this! So that's why he seemed too familiar to me. He was in last year's Grand Magic Games. The guild master of Sabertooth knows _my_ embarrassing weakness! What do I do!?' She was mentally in an outburst. This could severely affect Fairy Tail's reputation if this news goes out, or worse, her mental condition. Even her job performance could be downgraded if her enemies knew.

'But wait,' she rebutted herself. 'he doesn't know that I'm the Fairy Princess. Heck, he doesn't even know I'm a Fairy Tail mage and I'm Janis Miki. My insignia is hidden by the bandages. I have to hide that identity, even my magic powers must be hidden from him.'

"I-I'm Remia H-Hikari. Likew-wise." She muttered nervously, looking outside the window. Her embarrassment level was way over the top now. 'And wow, what kind of idiot comes up with that name?'

"That's a nice name!" Sting beamed out. 'Apparently, him.' The blonde girl mentally facepalmed herself at her stupidity as she took a spoonful of the parfait in her mouth. All her worries temporarily vanished as she cherished the taste of chocolate.

"By the way, is your left hand injured?" He reached for Janis' left hand, caressing it with his fingers.

"I petted a cat a while ago and got bitten." She wasn't lying, but the way she said it doesn't sound very convincing. Sting eyed her suspiciously but decided to drop the subject after seeing her satisfied face while smothering herself in chocolate paradise.

The two light mages chatted casually. Janis pretended not to know anything about Sting except for the fact that he's a member of Sabertooth because of his guild mark. They chatted about last year's Grand Magic Games, how he wasn't able to beat Natsu, about how Fairy Tail saved Lector, about how the guild has changed ever since then, it was a very lively conversation for the both of them. They talked until it was already sunset.

"Hey Remia, how about you stay with me at the hotel for the night?" Sting joyfully asked.

"Eh?" Was the most intelligent answer she could muster up at the moment. Her processors were currently having technical problems and could not process what he just said. When everything was fixed and everything registered to her, her second "Eh?" was heard.

"You know, stay for the night at my hotel room, if that's okay with you." The white dragon scratched his head in embarrassment. The blonde girl stared at the boy, dumbfounded and at a loss for words. Her mind suddenly clicked, something registered in her mind.

"Umm… Sting-san, I—"

"Is that Natsu-san over there?"

'Really want to kill myself right now!'

He pointed his finger outside the window. It's true. The fire dragon slayer was walking with a blue cat flying around him. 'Of all the routes you have to take, you have to take this one!' Janis panicked again. 'What will Natsu do if he finds Sting with me in a café? He'd tell the other guys, that's what, and I can't bear that embarrassment. I just hope he doesn't notice us and come here.'

"Come on, I got to introduce you to Natsu-san!"

'I stand corrected.' She was pulled by the wrists towards the exit. 'The flame brain didn't come to us, but this light-headed idiot thought it would be fun to meet him. Is this what they call "meeting halfway"? It's certainly not what I need right now!' She thought of ways to escape, but led to none. She was currently hoping for a miracle, an excuse to escape his tight grip. Her prayer was answered… somehow. A lady carrying a Chihuahua appeared at the front door, blocking the exit. Before Sting could even look at the lady properly, he was holding onto air. The fairy was gone in a flash.

'Well, I guess I have to make Natsu-san wait for a while.' He inwardly sighed as he began to search for the blonde girl inside the café.

Janis panted tiredly as she rested her back on the door. "Even though _that_ got me out of trouble, I still hate _them_." She monologued in-between breaths. The blonde girl was startled by a knock on the door. 'Well, might as well vacate the bathroom since the crisis was averted.' She opened the door and was greeted by the familiar blonde teen that was dragging her earlier.

"I knew you hid yourself in the girls' bathroom." A victory smirk was apparent in his face.

"Unless you want me to hide in the boys' bathroom, that's okay with me." She said sarcastically. This earned a laugh from the white dragon slayer. "Oh, and about your offer earlier… I thought about it, so sure, why not?" She smiled which was reciprocated by the male.

* * *

Usual hotel procedures aside, the two blondes entered the room. It had brown flooring donned with a red carpet with gold linings. The bed had a dark brown wooden frame with white blankets, cushion and pillows. A black wooden dresser stood beside the bed with a lamp on it. A vanity table was set in the right side of the room. The wooden closet stood tall at the left side. The bathroom door was beside the closet. The hanging lights with four pieces of light bulb enclosed in a dome-shaped glass topped the room.

"Oi, Sting-kun, you're back! Who's the chick?" A red cat ran up to the dragon slayer as he entered the room.

"Oh yeah, Lector, this is Remia Hikari. Remia, this is Lector, my partner." He gestured to 'Miss Hikari' then to the cat named Lector.

"It's nice to meet you, Remia-san!" Lector raised his hand the way Happy introduced himself.

"Likewise, Lector!" The blonde girl smiled as she grabbed Lector and began to pet him. The red Exceed was enjoying the touch.

"She'll be staying here for the night, so you should behave, okay Lector?"

"Okay!" The cat replied, giggling. Janis didn't mind as she continued to pet him.

The night was pretty normal: conversation, dinner, bath, more talking until it was time to sleep. Janis slipped in a pink night dress that reached exactly on her knees. It was provided in the closet as part of the hotel's service. The fairy proceeded to sit on the bed, eyeing the Exceed who was already asleep. 'He's so cute when he's asleep.' She thought, smiling.

A door creaking disrupted her thoughts. She turned to see Sting with nothing but a towel on his waist emerge from the bathroom, exposing his upper body quite clearly. Sting noticed this and looked at her with confusion. The blonde girl snapped back to reality as she realized she was staring on the other's body.

"Put some clothes on, idiot!" Was all she managed to say as she turned around to avert her gaze on the male. She was beet red.

"Why should I? I usually sleep with only my boxers on." Now she was nearing the chance of having a stroke. All the blood was rushing to her head. Her face was immensely flushed. As the blonde male finished drying his whole body and putting his boxers on, he slipped in the covers, eyeing 'Remia' for behaving weirdly.

"Aren't you going to sleep?" He asked while keeping his gaze on the girl.

"Alright, I'll turn off the lights."

All the lights were off. They were all alone in the room with the exception of an Exceed. Janis was looking at the direction where no Sting would be present. She couldn't forget that moment. That image played back in her mind as she covered her embarrassed face in her arms. Out of the blue, she found herself looking at the male's sleeping figure. She stared at him as his chest rose and fell at every breath.

'He's so cute when he's asleep.' She thought, not even commenting on why she thought that. 'That serene look on his face, that fair cream skin, that toned chest, his rock-hard abs, his well-shaped biceps…' Her mind suddenly came to a stop. For the third time today, she was struck by the 'lightning of reality'. 'I was oogling over the guild master of Sabertooth who knew my fear of _those_!?' Her mind returned to normal as she began to question her actions, something her mind was already used to.

"Can't sleep, my puppy Remia?"

"Kyaaaaaa!"

No, that was not a fangirl scream. It was Janis, startled, who fell from her bed. She, apparently, caught the word "puppy" to have more emphasis than the other four. Sting, being the cause of her fall, went to check the girl's condition.

"Hey, are you okay?" He extended his hand to help the frightened girl up, but fell because of his own carelessness at the edge of the bed. It led them to an awkward position.

The white dragon slayer was on top of the girl, using his arms for support. He was blushing furiously as he continued to look at those azure eyes, who now showed no fear from earlier. In his lower regions, an unexpected visitor was making himself known, making a bulge against the only piece of fabric he's wearing.

The fairy didn't notice the protruding guest below. She was fixated on the sapphire eyes looking at her. Blood was surging in her head, making her face beet red. She didn't know what to do, or she can't do anything in this situation.

The boy proceeded to inch closer, completely not listening to his rational mind. He leaned more, hoping to make contact.

The girl noticed the action. She tried resisting, but this position didn't let her.

_Three inches left…_

She stared at the teen that was advancing toward her. Longingness and passion was apparent in his expression as his dragon instincts took over him. He can't wait any longer. He wanted her now!

_Two inches left…_

'Well, letting my feelings take over once in a while wouldn't hurt.' She thought, closing her eyes.

_One inch left…_

And it happened. They made contact. Not exactly the contact you'd expect. Janis' body refused to listen to her as her reflexes acted up, smacking Sting on the face to send him flying to the other side, making him land face-first. Janis opened her eyes, blinked a few times, only to realize the situation. She quickly stood up and came to Sting's aid.

"Sting-san, I'm so sorry!" The blonde female helped him up as he scowled in pain.

"You sure smack pretty hard." He laughed, earning a jolt of pain in his cheek.

"Let's just sleep normally, okay?" Sting said as he went back to his side of the bed and pulled the covers.

"I'm so sorry, Sting-san." Janis also went back to her side of the bed, this time with the intent of sleeping.

Thus ending their meeting, the night of passion. Little did they know that a magic recipe is being brewed up behind the scenes…

* * *

**I'm truly sorry to those disappointed with the 'almost-kiss' scene. :P Only 1 person reviews (and I love you for that Bronzeapollo708!) so I don't really know what you guys like. If you review, I might take some of your advices and make interesting turns in the story. *hinthintwinkwinknudgenudge***

**Sting: Hey now, that was fun!**

**Janis: S-Shut up, idiot!**

**CG: *barks***

**Janis: *hides***

**CG: Next chapter might be my longest one. I don't know what my inspiration would come up though. Let's just hope for the best!~ Reviews, follows, favorites and anything else inspiring (SPARKLES!~) are appreciated!**

**~~ Cry Girly ~~**


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